Imagewest, a student-run advertising and public relations agency at WKU, will celebrate its nine-year anniversary with an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 6 in Mass Media and Technology Hall, room 331.

“Interning at Imagewest has been the best opportunity of my college career so far,” said senior Abby DeSpain, Imagewest account executive. “I’ve been able to expand my knowledge of using social media to help clients gain exposure to their target market.”

This event is free and open to the public. Area businesses as well as students interested in the agency are invited to attend. The event will be a great way to view Imagewest’s work, chat with the current team and see what life is like at the agency.

“We’re looking forward to meeting new people that might be able to utilize our services or join our team,” said Imagewest director Heather Garcia. “Anyone who has an interest in getting a behind-the-scenes look at the agency should stop by.”

Imagewest, part of WKU’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting, has been open since 2004, and in that time has had more than 260 students walk though its doors. Interns get the skills they need to make the transition from college to the highly competitive job market, as well as class credit.

“We recommend all of our advertising and public relations students apply for Imagewest,” said WKU associate professor of advertising Mark Simpson. “Not only do they get the experience of interviewing, but they gain the edge they need to compete in the world of advertising and public relations.”

Internship positions at Imagewest include public relations coordinator, graphic designer, account executive, web designer and broadcast coordinator. Alumni have said the real-world experience of working in an agency with clients is often the push that helped them land their first job. Imagewest works with small to medium size organizations in surrounding areas and with several clients that are located out of state and abroad.

“I wanted to show potential employers that I did something in my four years here besides just attending classes,” said senior Matt Love, Imagewest designer. “I want them to see that I actually put what I learned in the classroom into practice. Imagewest gave me the opportunity to do that.”